Colleagues & coincidences in Chinook

With 19 members, the Chinook Education Association (CEA) is one of the smaller MEA-MFT units on the Hi-Line, but it has two members who mirror each other in some remarkable ways.

Jack Mattingly has taught in Chinook for 29 years. Pat Gillen has taught there for 20 years. Both are veteran CEA members and officers and have chaired negotiation teams. For several years, Gillen has been the president; Mattingly currently serves as secretary.

Both teach part-time in the junior/senior high Resource Room and part-time in regular classrooms, Mattingly in French and Gillen in English.

Mattingly has coached basketball for 10 years, working with both boys and girls at the junior and senior high school levels. Gillen coached speech and drama for 10 years.

Both believe strongly in giving back to their community. Mattingly currently serves as pastor for the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations of Chinook and Harlem. Gillen is active in the Catholic church in Havre.

Mattingly has been active in the Lions for many years, while Gillen enjoys her work with the public library. For many seasons, Mattingly has served as the on-air Blaine County public television announcer for the Chinook Sugarbeeters basketball team, while Gillen has done sports graphics for the television station for four years.

"There are so many coincidences it's amazing," Gillen said. "We are pals and colleagues. Since we both teach out of the same room for special ed, we see a lot of each other."

Neither MEA-MFT member has plans for retirement anytime soon. "We like what we are doing," both remarked.

Thank you, Jack and Pat, for doing Work That Matters for Montana! MEA-MFT exists for members like you.